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Day Forty-seven: I had my third lesson with Ryan today. In the past few days I started putting a saddle blanket on Samson. He didn't even flinch so today Ryan and I put a pony saddle on him and he was wonderful. You'd have thought he's been wearing a saddle since birth!
Breakthrough # 15!
We worked on lunging in a very small circle around me, first using a long lead rope and then a short lead rope and a crop to lightly tap his butt. He's coming along and listening very well. We also took Samson through the barn and out the "people door" and down the driveway. He was a perfect gentleman! Lori started her truck and backed up to about 2 feet from Sam and he just stood there. Maria then started her tractor (she decided to visit on her tractor instead of driving her truck!) and drove by Samson, switched gears, made lots of noise and commotion and he stood there! He is just so calm about everything, it's hard to believe he was untouched by humans a mere 6 1/2 weeks ago.

Lori showing off Samson's freeze brand

Day Forty-eight: Today we led Samson out into the backyard to graze and took some pictures. I put the blanket and saddle on him and let him walk around the yard with it on. He's doing so well we may try trailering next week. Lori came over with her 5 year old daughter Shanley and suggested we put Shanley on Samson's back. Tom had the camera ready to go, I held Samson and Lori held Shanley, all poised to take quick action if he spooked. Well it was very uneventful, Samson just continued to graze as if nothing new or exciting had just happened! (Update: Shanley has been telling everyone "Guess what? I broke Sammy the mustang!")
Breakthrough # 16!

Day Fifty: Well, it's officially seven weeks now and I love Samson more and more each day. I have worked with him on lunging, hoof picking, leading forward and backing up. Samson is getting so good at backing up that I can just say "back" and he is starting to respond. He still needs a little shake of the lead rope as reinforcement but he is really coming along quickly. When he is in a stall and I bring his food, I ask him move out of the way and stand still while I place the hay and put the grain (very hard to be patient when he sees the grain) in his bin. He is doing quite well with respecting my space.

Shanley, Samson & Tom

Day Fifty one: This morning I arrived at the ranch at 8 am to do my barn chores. The first thing I always do is look for Samson when he's been out all night (he sometimes is in a stall and sometimes in the corral at night - lack of space at the ranch because the rescues come first - a problem I will need to solve eventually). Last night he was turned out in the corral with Darby, a 2 year old gelding. Behind the corral is another pasture with electric fencing so we don't turn out Samson in that pasture. We have been turning Samson out in the corral for about 2 weeks. This morning I found him in the back pasture while Darby took a little siesta in the corral. Samson was running with Sunshine, a 5 year old mare who apparently just came into heat. He jumped the 4 foot fence to be with Sunshine. Before I could do anything he was mounting Sunshine! He's only a year old and she's quite a bit larger than he is so it was a very amusing picture. Sunshine kicked him and ran - by the time I got to them, she had chased him away. He was off by himself so I snapped a lead rope on and took him back to the roundpen. Tomorrow I call the vet to schedule his gelding. We thought we could wait till he was 2 as had been done with Darby but apparently he's quite mature for his age! Other than a deep, sexy "see ya later, baby" nicker (and I could swear I saw him wink at her! :-) hee hee), he walked back to the roundpen very calmly.